Following the renewed crisis in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, 9news Nigeria has gathered how gunmen beheaded three men in a broad day light and killed more than Eighty persons, destroyed houses and property worth millions of naira.
Also, women and children have also been displaced by the violence which broke out in Urugbam, Egbor, Ipene, and Abanwan, four of the 10 communities that make up Erei clan.
Speaking exclusively with 9news Nigeria over the ugly incident, Bishop Frank Owali from Urugbam community revealed to our correspondent how he escaped the deadly attack and how the gunmen operated. He also said that his life is still at risk despite running away from his community.
According to him, “The renewed crisis was orchestrated by report of the just concluded panel of enquiry set up by the deputy Governor of Cross River State. The out come of the panel report was submitted to the deputy Governor by Chairman of the panel last week and immediately that was done the Erei conspirators lost their sleep. Maybe anticipating that the result of the just concluded panel went against them”.
“Two days after release of the report, the Abanwan community sent 14 armed bandit on a broad day light to invade the Urugbam community, upon their arrival the Urugbam vigilantes confronted them and captured 3 of the invaders from Abanwan, I was consulted while I was in Enugu doing my spiritual mission. I quickly advice my community not to take laws into their hands by handing the captured men with thier arms and motor bike to the police, the Urugbam community did just that. An entry was made at Urugbam police post. While the captured men and their weapons were handed over to the police. ”
” I personally reported the matter to deputy governor, Area commander Akamkpa and DPO Akpet central requiring them to come n take over the case, in less than 24hrs a team of patrol police arrived my village. The police put up a call to me still while in Enugu requesting me to advice the clan of my village to assist them with money to fuel their car n take one of the suspect to Afikpo an treat him from some brushes he sustained during struggle of disarming him. I advice my clan to assist the police which they, the police to Suspects to Afikpo, to the surprising of my community the police came back only to return back the 3 suspects with their arms and motorbike to their community without a recourse of at least telling my people but left.”
“That was only on Friday last week, my people were so angry with the police, I then put a call to the DPO Akpet and all she told me was her men did not go there to make case that her superior the Area command ordered for them to be released. When she noticed anger in my voice she simply ask me to get my people to travel to Akpet the next week Tuesdays and make a fresh complain, the next day the Abanwan matcheted another guy from Edu comminuty accusing his Edu community of sympathising with my community. Barely after two days the Abanwan people lay ambushed and caught three men from the village accompanying their wives to the farm and behold beheaded them as shown in picture. Wen the info got to me, I reported same to deputy governor, Area command and the DPO Akept since two days ago this incident that took place no word from from the police or any quarters till yesterday when Abanwan hired assassin and militants that invaded my community yesterday.”
“The militants stormed my village very early in the morning and killed more than 80 people, maiming scores of peoples burnt down every building in my village. We have over 700 persons displaced Urugbam in Okon Aku Ohafia in Abia state, about 1700 peoples in Amangwu Ohafia and about 3000 people in Ekoli Eda in Afikpo south, many others missing .Bravo to Abanwan n Erei conspirators for introducing a new tactics of Boko haranism into the history of Erei. I can assure the perpetrator of this heinous crime will never go free unless my God”, he said.
Bishop Frank also said he is being threatened and revealed that he has been warned not to receive strange calls.
Below is a text message forwarded to him,
“Bishop, Professional kidnapers have been paid to track you down dead or alive, pls avoid strange calls, mostly from strange women, some of dis professional infiltrated the military men that recently visited your village. be careful while I promise to up date u of their change of plans. I trust ur intelligence n intuition.”
The displaced persons at Ekoli Edda, IDP venue in Afikpo south LGA protested over the attack and asked the federal government to look into their plight.
See photos below
